Air France considers A380 fleet reduction

Air France is evaluating a reduction of its Airbus A380 fleet as the carrier is preparing a cabin refurbishment programme for the widebody type.

French news outlet Les Echos has reported that the airline decided not to renew the leases for two of its five leased A380s, and to return the pair to their owners in 2019. The article suggests that the other three leased aircraft will also gradually leave the fleet.

Flight Fleets Analyzer data shows that the Paris-based airline has 10 A380s, half of which are owned by the airline.

The SkyTeam carrier tells FlightGlobal that discussions are ongoing about the "current size" of its A380 fleet, but declines to provide detail about its fleet plans.

It neither confirmed nor denied the Les Echos report.

Air France says that in 2020 it will begin a cabin refurbishment programme for its A380s. The project was agreed under Air France-KLM’s former chief executive Jean-Marc Janaillac – who resigned in May – and will include installation of full-flat seats.

Such seats have been available on other Air France long-haul aircraft for several years, while the carrier’s A380s were equipped with a previous seat design that reclines to an angled position.

Air France’s A380s were built between 2009 and 2014, Analyzer shows. The airline had originally ordered 12 A380s, but swapped commitments for the last two aircraft to A350s.